Cruck Realta finished strongly in the hands of Martin Harley to secure a surprise victory in the Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes at Newbury.

Only once out of the first three in nine previous appearances and a good second in Listed company over the course and distance a month ago, Mick Channon's filly was a 16/1 chance for what looked a warm race on paper.

The daughter of Sixties Icon was buried in the middle of the park by Harley for much of the 10-furlong journey, but showed smart acceleration in the easy ground once the gap came to take much closer order.

Once asked for maximum effort inside the final furlong, Cruck Realta responded generously and was well on top at the line, passing the post two and three-quarter lengths ahead of 22/1 shot Spicy Dal.

Lady Nouf, the 2/1 favourite, cut out much of the running before fading late on and only just held on to third position.

Channon told Racing UK: "I'm relieved. She hasn't had the best of luck and earlier in the year everything went wrong. We ran over a mile and she pulled too hard and she was very unlucky at Newmarket when the saddle slipped.

"She ran well here last time and the horse that finished third in the Oaks (The Lark) was behind us. We always wanted to hold her up and give her a chance as she's got a turn of foot, but in the last few races we've been up there and had to go a long way out.

"Today it fell right for us, Martin could sit and wait and she picked up really well, so we're delighted. Now she's a Listed winner, we've got nothing to lose."